Innovations Durables / Appropriate Sustainabilities: Une autre architecture française / New Ways in French Architecture (French and English Edition)

Whilst France's contemporary architecture is highly regarded throughout the world, her architects have hardly been leading protagonists in the debate on ecological building. The developments featured in this book, however, should serve to correct this impression. Between 1999-2002 Electricite de France (EDF) initiated an ambitious research programme to bring together first-class architects and innovative technologies involving renewable energy, strategies to reduce energy consumption, newly developed software programs to support ecologically oriented architectural design etc. The goal was to create sustainable and aesthetically pleasing architecture.

This book documents the buildings, some of which have already been realized, resulting form this experiment which attracted participation from both established and also younger architects. Amongst those included are Jean Yves Barrier, Gilles Bouchez, Francois Chochon, Adrien Fainsilber, Jacques Ferrier, Manuelle Gautrand, Christian Hauvette, Dominique Lyon & Pierre du Besseet, Marc Mimram, Francois Roche, Francois Seigneur & Sylvie de la Dure, Francis Soler, Mirto Vitart & Jean-Marc Ibos.